Environmental advocates are sounding the alarm as a proposal to overturn a mining ban near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota steps closer to reality.
The U.S. Senate is set to vote next week on overturning a 20-year mining ban in Minnesota’s Cook, Lake and St. Louis counties. Former President Joe Biden signed the protection during the end of his time in office.
In January, the House of Representatives narrowly passed the bill introduced by Minnesota Republican Rep. Pete Stauber.
Lawmakers, including Minnesota Democratic U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, were joined Monday by environmental groups and outfitters that serve the Boundary Waters to say they don’t want to see the bill pass.
Their fear is that copper mining projects will quickly move in, causing pollution and destruction to what has been protected land.
Smith says she’s working on rallying Senate Republicans to join her side to block the bill. She and others say at least one foreign group is already interested in mining the area.
Mining groups say any projects would be heavily regulated and vetted, but Smith says it’s not a deal she wants to see go through.
“We appreciate that mining is crucial to our economy and our national security and our way of life, but that is not what this mine is about. This mine is about a very well-connected, foreign mining conglomerate, Antofagasta,” Smith said. “It wants to develop this mine, dig up the copper, leave us with the mess, then send the metal most likely to China, and then sell it back to us or whoever is willing to pay the highest price.”
This story will be updated.
Adam Duxter
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